


the person i could not see

by Lord_Maple



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Angst and Humor, Drama, Iris Zero AU, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-19
Updated: 2018-06-19
Packaged: 2019-05-25 17:26:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14981987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lord_Maple/pseuds/Lord_Maple
Summary: Things aren’t great for Ren. Being an Iris Zero was already bad enough and it just gets worse with a probation hanging over his head like a dumb bird that won’t stop shitting over his head. If only he had some cool Iris that will just give him all of the answers he needs in life, but no. Of course not. Fate is the bird overlord of all dumb birds.But having an Iris isn’t always a good thing, and Ren’s unfiltered eyes may just be the key to dispelling the illusions that plague Shujin Academy.





	the person i could not see

**Author's Note:**

> haha.. ha..
> 
> I have no restraint when it comes to making multi-chap fics. 
> 
> For those of you unfamiliar with Iris Zero, it's a manga series that focuses on this power known as Iris, which is common in this universe. It varies from person to person, but it works like an augmented reality, providing information based on sight. People who have this power can basically see things that other people can't. For example, a person could see a devil's tail on a person when they lie or perhaps a person could see when death approaches a living being when black butterflies start to swarm around it. People who don't have it are known as Iris Zero.

It’s over.

That’s all Ren could of think when the judge slammed his gavel down. The sharp sound of impact echoed throughout the court and just moments later, the room was empty.

It’s over, he thought. There’s nothing left.

There was barely anything he could say during the trial. All they had to do was point some faceless boy and say, “His Iris tells the whole story.” That’s all it has to be done in this godforsaken country. Iris this and Iris that. It’s ironic, really, given the percentage of adults who have the Irises they love so much. Ren isn’t blind. He saw how that boy’s mouth quivered under the stares of everyone in the court. Having an Iris doesn’t allow them to escape the weight that is Japanese society.

Was that really what the boy saw? Did he see the truth through his filtered eyes-- the ones that supposedly shows the objective truth no matter the situation? Well, it doesn’t matter. Not really. It doesn’t matter what an Iris Zero has to say.

And now, Ren faces a one-year probation. Could’ve been worse, but Ren knows it doesn’t take much to squash his future. Another label to throw in the trash bin that is his ever-growing pile of shit. It’s all because he broke the one rule he stood by-- a mistake that ruined everything and even though he knew the consequences, he-

Ah, who cares. He’s already here.

Leblanc seemed like a nice place. Good aesthetic, but that’s expected. People are drawn towards what they could see and Ren knows why. Hey, lemme tell you what I saw with my Iris! Hey, I saw something cool with mine! Hey, let’s go people-watching and invade their privacy without them knowing! Hey! Hey! People _actually_ sit at fancy restaurants to look around rather than eat. It’s stupid really, whether it’s related to a person’s Iris or not. Everything about Irises is stupid.

The shop was quiet, just enough for Ren to hear a soft cough coming from the only person inside aside from himself. “You are…?” Ren directed his attention towards a gruff looking man behind the counter. Sojiro Sakura, he presumes. He can assume as much given the small bits of information he got from his parents and the nearby delivery man when he visited the Sakura residence.

“Ren Amamiya. I’ll be under your custody as of today.” It’s easy to be polite. Ren wonders why he did what he did that night. Was it something he was supposed to regret? No, it wasn’t. He’s sure of it. People aren’t supposed to regret saving other people no matter the cost, but--

“Ah, you’re here. It seems you already know, but I’m Sojiro Sakura. People call me Boss around here. I’ll be your probation officer for the year.” He sighs. Sojiro’s posture relaxes after glancing over Ren’s seemingly harmless appearance. “To be honest, I’m kind of surprised. It’s one thing to see a kid who lacks an Iris, but it’s another thing to see one convicted of assault.”

Ren could only shrug. “We live in a world with more than 7 billion people. It’s bound to happen.”

“Don’t say it like your current situation couldn’t have been avoided. You know what you did.” Ren knew too well what happened, but it didn’t seem like Sojiro would understand if he tried to explain. If you’re caught, just take it and hope the punishment isn’t as severe as it could be. That’s what Ren learned at an early age. Arguing was never a successful option. “At least I don’t have to worry about accommodating for some kid’s Iris. The laws in this country really make it troublesome to restrict what kids can see when under surveillance.”

“At least it’s not hard to understand how I see the world, huh.”

“It isn’t that simple, though I suppose it makes it easier for the old folks. 7 billion people existing on this planet made the world complicated enough and now we have people who practically have superpowers running around. Makes me appreciate the past more, honestly.”

Yes, 27 years ago was when the first children with Irises supposedly appeared— children who can see things that others can’t. It was only a small number back then, but that quickly grew in number over time. Now, only 1% of people born have no Iris. It’s a discomforting thought to Ren. To think that people like him are going to be even more marginalized in the future isn’t exactly a pleasant thought. Perhaps it won’t be long until Iris Zeroes are wiped off the face of the planet.

The adults must be antsy, seeing how they are sucking up and praising children while knowing damn well the laws that are put in place to restrict the rights of the youth out of fear. Condition them to respect their elders without question, and maybe they’ll eliminate this “disease” before they take over. It’s too bad that Iris Zeroes are caught up in the fire. All kids are ignorant nincompoops who don’t appreciate traditional values apparently.

People like Ren don’t belong anywhere, really.

Sojiro showed Ren to his room— a dirty attic. Ren swears he’s going to get asthma just by staying there for 2 minutes, but it was a fortunate surprise that he managed to clean the whole place up without a single problem. The mattress is on the lower end in terms of quality but it’ll work. Better than that rock disguised as a couch at least.

One year of probation. A permanent stain on his record. Iris Zero. Sojiro didn’t seem too bad despite his tough exterior, but Ren knows that worst part has yet to come.

He just hopes that minimal exposure will wear off his bad reputation over time.

* * *

Goro Akechi is just a tad concerned.

Emphasis on “tad”. There is only so much he could honestly give a damn about some transfer student while his entire life has been the proverbial shitstorm of the century. It won’t be long until his revenge will be complete, where the dead will be put to rest and where all of the sweat and tears will become worth the effort. It was all or nothing. The final stretch. The countdown is now down to months.

And yet, there was something he is concerned about.

Ren Amamiya. Convicted of assault on a quiet night. Iris Zero. It didn’t take much to know how the student body will feel once he comes to school. Rumors are already spreading and it won’t be long until the whole school knows.

It’s almost pitiful, Goro thought. Assault or no, he could practically feel the abuse the boy is going to go through crawling up his spine once he comes for the first day of school. Goro remembers back then when he was locked up in the institutions, surviving on whatever he can get before the others do.

He’s thankful that he was born with the Iris that he has. He’d be dead without it.

Goro sits up. It’s almost midnight. Shido hasn’t called for his assignments lately, but even now, staying up late has become a habit. That’s just what happens when your boss expects a quick response 24/7. Sometimes Goro wonders if Shido gets any sleep at all, but then he remembers that secretaries are a thing and frankly, how could Goro think otherwise? No shit would Shido would want to be as comfortable as possible at the expense of others. It’s practically his motto in life. That’s all he does.

Well. Goro wishes he could think that he’s any different in that regard. He knew what he was getting into for the most part, but his Iris tells the whole story. There was only one thing he could do at that moment. There was just one path that young Goro could take and that led to just one person.

There’s no doubt about it. His Iris had never failed to tell him the best option to take.

But maybe. Just maybe…

Perhaps he could spare some kindness towards the new student and guide him towards the right path— a better one than the one Goro was forced to take.

It was never Goro’s choice to become cruel anyway.

* * *

Things aren’t looking well for Ryuji Sakamoto.

Everything is stupid. It’s all bullshit. The adults, the students, himself-- everything is just fucking stupid. Ryuji likes that line of thought a bit too much and frankly, it gets tiring after awhile. Some good ramen is always nice to get his mind off of things, but lately, even the best bowl he ever had gets dull. Dark times we live in, he thought. If only his bitter thoughts could summon a lightning bolt to smite Kamoshida where he stands. It’s raining right now, so maybe if he prayed hard enough, it could happen.

Or even better, an Iris that could actually help him expose that damned mop-head. Ryuji lets out a heavy sigh. Just thinking about his useless Iris automatically makes him depressed.

People from his school dashes across the street, fearing that they will be late to school. With the delinquent label stapled on his ass, Ryuji has no motivation to try reversing it. He already knows that trying to integrate would make the fall harder once Kamoshida spits out some dumb shit to put him back in his place. Of course, it’s not like he’s smart enough to bring up his grades, unlike some people.

Oh, and speak of the devil. It’s Shujin’s dashing white prince, majestic horse and all. Just making his way to his castle, unaware that Ryuji just happened to be walking the same direction behind him.

If Ryuji was able to put his biases aside, he would be aware that Akechi hasn’t done anything wrong per se. He’s smart. He’s athletic. He’s kind. Charismatic. A person subject to the jealousy of many and there is no doubt that it gets Ryuji riled up. There’s no way Akechi could be so popular without ignoring the wrongdoings of certain teachers, Ryuji thought. Every kind thing he did must’ve been done to improve his image. Ryuji’s current situation makes it even more difficult to attempt connecting with Akechi… even though he knows that Akechi’s life isn’t 100% peachy from what he can tell from his Iris. He’s just… too sparkly for it to be true, he thought. Ryuji brushes off what he sees every day above Akechi’s head as a misunderstanding on his part.

Akechi was just walking to school like any other day, but Ryuji noticed something strange. Well, him not being followed by a bunch of girls is strange, but that can be brushed off because of the rain. No, it’s because he seems to be talking to someone. A guy in a Shujin uniform, no less. Eavesdropping isn’t something Ryuji is used to doing nor does he think it’s a good thing exactly, but--

Fuck it, he’s going to listen onto their conversation anyway. He’s just too curious.

“I hope this isn’t too sudden, but I’d like to exchange chat IDs with you. I find your company most interesting.”

Wait, what.

The boy whom Ryuji doesn’t recognize seemed a little pink after what Akechi said. “Sure. You’re pretty cool, too.” Man, he’s seems so awkward, being all shifty and stuff, Ryuji thought. It’s like he’s some lovestruck girl talking to her crush.

That can’t be it, can it?

“Haha, you’re _cool_ yourself, I suppose.” The way Akechi emphasized his words made it seem like he was mocking the other, but the atmosphere almost seemed… playful? “We won’t see each other much during school since I’m a year above you, but if you like, we can meet up at lunch. I know a quiet place to sit since students can be a bit noisy at times.” Now even Akechi has a visible blush on his face.

No. No way.

“That’d be great!” The boy looked like he tried to restrain his excitement and failed. “I’m looking forward to it, Goro-senpai.”

First names already?! No no no wait. Ryuji took a deep breath. Maybe they knew each other for a while already. It sounds like the boy is a transfer student since Ryuji is 99.9% sure that he never saw the boy before in his entire life, despite being a second-year student so maybe they’re like… childhood friends who never saw each other for a long time? Ryuji doesn’t really know, but it makes sense in his head.

As the two closes in towards the school entrance, they stopped to exchange their chat IDs as promised and--

“I’m looking forward to our blooming friendship that sprouted in this rather dreary weather, Ren.” Ah finally, a name for Ryuji to use. “I have a feeling that being with you will result in an interesting year ahead of me.”

“Aww, babe that’s sweet of you say.” Ren winks. Ryuji is internally screaming at this point.

“Haha, perhaps our meeting was fate? We just met, but it feels like I could tell you anything.”

Ryuji froze as the two walk in the building, piecing together what he just heard. This is their first meeting. They’re already on a first name basis. The faint blush on their faces as they have that weird talk about fate bringing them together. The fact that Akechi never got into a relationship despite the number of girls who would literally pay their life’s fortune to go on a date with him. It’s all too clear and Ryuji feels like he’s an idiot for not realizing sooner.

Goro Akechi is as gay as the rainbow arched over the school.


End file.
